Eric reappeared in 2005 to let Kirk know that he and Dot were retiring to Cyprus, and Kirk went out to visit him for several weeks after Eric had injured his back.

He returned on 20th October2008 to console his daughter following the death of her husband Liam. He carried the coffin at Liam's funeral after Tony Gordon had to comfort a grief-stricken Carla. This caused Liam's mother Helen to be unhappy, as Eric didn't know Liam.

Eric and Dot attended Kirk's wedding to Beth Tinker in January 2015. In October that year, Eric contacted Maria to inform her that her mother had broken her hip. Maria and Liam flew to Cyprus to help look after her.